Margaret and David H. from New Brunswick, Canada have been Royal Resorts members for 27 years. David says, “We must have been down to Mexico 50 times, the equivalent of three years of our lives! We love it so much. The first time we visited The Royal Cancun we were hooked; before the week ended we had purchased a week and we have been adding them ever since. We are staying for 10 weeks in 2018 at The Royal Cancun and The Royal Haciendas.

David explains, “What we look forward to the most when the Canadian winter begins to bite is the prospect of a safe and pleasant home away from home to return to year after year, knowing in advance that we will enjoy it and have a fantastic experience.The spacious and comfy villas and amenities at Royal Resorts make vacation living easy,” he says. “Furthermore, for longer stays, Cancun has super grocery stores and good public transport and it continues to be a very friendly, welcoming destination.

“We have been able to share Royal Resorts vacations with friends and family and have had two big family reunions here which meant a lot to us,” says Margaret. David adds, “We must have invited 40 people to come with us over the years and our son and his wife love it just as much as we do.”

“We love seeing the staff each year,” says David. “Jeremias, the bellboy at The Royal Cancun, always welcomes us with a big hug and a wide grin. Our amazing maid at The Royal Islander single handedly brought up her five children and we have got to know them all over the years. We have so many friends in the Royal Resorts family. The employees are honest, hard working people and all go out of their way to help you. There is mutual respect and friendship and they are genuinely happy to see members and guests and want to make them feel at home. We traveled widely before we made our first trip to Mexico and I have to say that we have never experienced such a level of hospitality anywhere else.

David says, “Cancun is an ideal base if you want to explore the Yucatan and discover its natural wonders, history, traditions and cuisine. I am a keen photographer and over the years we have visited places such as Holbox, Rio Lagartos and Celestun, all rich in wildlife. Wherever we go, we have found the people to be friendly, courteous and welcoming, and always ready to help travelers. In return, as visitors, we should always be polite and respectful of local culture. And after a day out, The Royal Cancun is the perfect spot to come home to for pure vacation relaxation.

“I honestly believe that vacationing at Royal Resorts has health benefits.” David reflects, “In Canada we are cooped up for months in the winter with very little exercise and when we travel to Mexico we literally come out of hibernation! We are enjoying the open air, the warm sun and perfect weather; we walk and swim every day. When you get older, this becomes all the more important for your wellbeing. An extended stay in Cancun enjoying nice weather and the company of great people is the perfect winter break; the biggest decision each day is what to have for dinner!

“In this day and age there are not a lot of companies that last 40 years,” he adds. “It is a real feather in the cap of the staff, management and the developers that Royal Resorts has been providing a quality vacation experience for 40 years when so many companies have changed hands. Royal Resorts keeps going, it is remarkable and continues to be a gold standard for other resort companies.”

Share your Royal Resorts memories Do you have a precious memory of Cancun in its infancy, of vacationing at the resorts with family and friends or of exploring the Mexican Caribbean and Yucatan? Why not share your memories with us? Drop us a line with your photos and vacation stories at media@royalresorts.com

Margaret and David H. from New Brunswick, Canada

Related post

Royal Resorts is offering a unique, limited edition opportunity to commemorate 40 years of excellence in Quintana Roo. This memento will help you to remember the fun, relaxation and enjoyment of your experiences in Cancun and Riviera Maya. A beautiful aerial photo of your favorite resort with the Royal Resorts 40 Years logo is captured […]

Grand Residences by Royal Resorts celebrates its fourth anniversary this December. Nestled on a breathtaking beach to the south of Puerto Morelos, our latest luxury resort continues to receive rave reviews for its magnificent and spacious suites, upscale amenities, gourmet cuisine, hallmark Leading Hotels of the World® service and the exceptional vacation experience it offers […]

Royal Resorts is offering a unique, limited edition opportunity to commemorate 40 years of excellence in Quintana Roo. This memento will help you to remember the fun, relaxation and enjoyment of your experiences in Cancun and Riviera Maya. A beautiful aerial photo of your favorite resort with the Royal Resorts 40 Years logo is captured in stunning fashion on a ceramic tile and is available online at Teddy Trays.

The tiles have two measurements: 6” x 6” or a 6” x 8” and come with a display stand. The aerial images are also available in an 11-ounce tea/coffee cup that is dishwasher and microwave safe. Check out these limited edition items today at Teddy Trays.

Related post

Margaret and David H. from New Brunswick, Canada have been Royal Resorts members for 27 years. David says, “We must have been down to Mexico 50 times, the equivalent of three years of our lives! We love it so much. The first time we visited The Royal Cancun we were hooked; before the week ended […]

Grand Residences by Royal Resorts celebrates its fourth anniversary this December. Nestled on a breathtaking beach to the south of Puerto Morelos, our latest luxury resort continues to receive rave reviews for its magnificent and spacious suites, upscale amenities, gourmet cuisine, hallmark Leading Hotels of the World® service and the exceptional vacation experience it offers […]

Sharon and Bernardo S. from Poughkeepsie, New York have been Royal Resorts members for 37 years. Sharon tells the story: “We were invited to VCI or The Royal Cancun by friends about 37 years ago. “We loved it so much we purchased two weeks and we are still here, although we now vacation at The Royal Sands and The Royal Haciendas.”

“In the early years at The Royal Cancun it was so quiet and peaceful, it was perfect for families and the people there were absolutely wonderful,” Sharon adds. “We are now three generations and coming here is our family time together. Our children and grandchildren love it as much as we do and they never want to leave. We really feel as though we are coming home, we find it relaxing and luxurious, a place where you can truly unwind.”

“One of my sons and his family live in West Virginia and the rest of us are in New York State,” explains Sharon. “Due to the distance, we don’t see that much of them and our summer vacation at Royal Resorts is our chance to spend precious time together. It also gives our children time to catch up with each other and our grandchildren get to know their cousins better.

“There are beautiful beaches elsewhere in the world but the warmth of the people makes this place unique. We are really made to feel at home and are always treated royally.

“We have so many special Royal Resorts memories,” says Sharon. “Bernardo remembers being taught how to sail a Sunfish out on the bay at The Royal Cancun by a member called Bob Hinz and in turn he has taught many other members and guests. Our eldest son proposed to his girlfriend at The Royal Sands and we celebrated our golden wedding anniversary at the resort.

“If I have a message for fellow members it would be this: we have been members of Royal Resorts for more than 30 years. We visit the Cancun resorts or The Royal Haciendas twice a year so that we can say that we have been here 50 times or more. You really have to like a place to say that!”

“My message to Royal Resorts and the staff would be to keep doing what you have been doing for the last 40 years. We have traveled widely and have found nothing that compares for luxury and space with Royal Resorts for family vacations. We just love it.”

Share your Royal Resorts memories Do you have a precious memory of Cancun in its infancy, of vacationing at the resorts with family and friends or of exploring the Mexican Caribbean and Yucatan? Why not share your memories with us? Drop us a line with your photos and vacation stories at media@royalresorts.com

Related post

Margaret and David H. from New Brunswick, Canada have been Royal Resorts members for 27 years. David says, “We must have been down to Mexico 50 times, the equivalent of three years of our lives! We love it so much. The first time we visited The Royal Cancun we were hooked; before the week ended […]

Royal Resorts is offering a unique, limited edition opportunity to commemorate 40 years of excellence in Quintana Roo. This memento will help you to remember the fun, relaxation and enjoyment of your experiences in Cancun and Riviera Maya. A beautiful aerial photo of your favorite resort with the Royal Resorts 40 Years logo is captured […]

It’s been 40 years of precious memories at Royal Resorts. Forty years of welcoming our members and guests and their families to their resort home in Cancun and the Riviera Maya and creating magical vacation moments for them.

Welcome home Your Royal Resorts hosts, these are the employees who remember your name and greet you with “Bienvenido a casa” time after time. A host of familiar smiling faces welcoming you with Mexican warmth and the hallmark Royal Resorts hospitality, all ready to go that extra mile to make your vacation truly exceptional. They clean your villa, sometimes leaving tropical flowers on the table to brighten your day, bring you your favorite cocktail at the pool bar or that extra-spicy sauce with habanero chili you like so much. Perhaps they are the Concierges, always on hand to help you with your every vacation need, the bellboys, Front Desk staff or the Thomas More Travel representative who is a mine of information on the Yucatán and gives you tips about fun places to visit in the area. Many have become friends over the years, asking about your children and telling you all about their own families.

More things to enjoy with each vacation Royal Resorts is the perfect spot for a Cancun family vacation. Members love coming home to the spacious two-bedroom villas fully equipped with everything they need for their stay. There’s even a private ocean-view terrace for watching the sun and moon rise over the Caribbean and leisurely al fresco meals.

Pools, tennis courts, sailboats or kayaks, fun games, sports and activities, kids clubs, fitness centers, spas, shopping and a wealth of dining choices, the array of amenities at Royal Resorts has grown over the years and the search continues. We are constantly looking for new activities and services to enrich your vacation experience and give our members even more benefits.

The Royal Resorts family Now comprising more than 70,000 families, the Royal Resorts member community continues to grow. From 51 countries and all walks of life, they share a passion for the Mexican Caribbean.

Some members come to Royal Resorts to get away from it all, disconnect and simply relax. Many enjoy activity-packed vacations with family and friends. Others travel to indulge a love of scuba diving, bird watching or Mayan history. And for many more, it is the one chance in the year to bring the family together for a vacation that spans cities, states, countries and even continents.

A lifetime of memories, over the years at Royal Resorts, we have seen children growing up, friendships forged, engagements and weddings and even grandchildren take their first faltering steps on the beach.

This is what Dee H., Royal Resorts member since 1982 has to say about Royal Resorts and the incredible memories it has given her and her family.

WATCH THE VIDEO

What are your Royal Resorts 40-year memories? Do you remember the early years at The Royal Cancun (Club Internacional de Cancun, also known as Vacation Club International or VCI) or days spent on the beach at The Royal Caribbean, The Royal Islander, The Royal Sands or The Royal Haciendas, our first Riviera Maya resort? Do you have a precious memory of Cancun in its infancy or of exploring the Yucatan? Why not share it with us? Drop us a line with your photos and vacation stories at memories@royalresorts.com

Related post

Margaret and David H. from New Brunswick, Canada have been Royal Resorts members for 27 years. David says, “We must have been down to Mexico 50 times, the equivalent of three years of our lives! We love it so much. The first time we visited The Royal Cancun we were hooked; before the week ended […]

Royal Resorts is offering a unique, limited edition opportunity to commemorate 40 years of excellence in Quintana Roo. This memento will help you to remember the fun, relaxation and enjoyment of your experiences in Cancun and Riviera Maya. A beautiful aerial photo of your favorite resort with the Royal Resorts 40 Years logo is captured […]

At Royal Resorts helping protect the environment is part of everything we do; at our resorts in Cancun and the Riviera Maya we are constantly looking for more ways to conserve natural resources and reduce our carbon footprint. As June is World Environment Month, we thought we would give you a behind-the-scenes look at some of our green initiatives. They include beach cleaning, recycling, water and energy conservation using energy-efficient technology, switching to biodegradable products and spreading the conservation message to the workforce and in the community.

Recycling rules at Royal Resorts At Royal Resorts we recycle plastics, glass, aluminum, cardboard, paper and other waste and we invite our guests to join our campaign. There are recycling trashcans throughout the resorts and special bins in the villas and suites so that guests can separate plastic, glass, aluminum and cardboard trash. All materials suitable for recycling are collected and sold as “trash for cash” to raise money for the Royal Resorts Foundation’s charitable causes: conservation, children’s education, cancer screening and treatment for women on a low income, physiotherapy for children with motor and neurological disorders and employee emergency relief. In 2016, 350 tons of waste were recycled, representing US$12,000 to help protect nature and transform lives.

Switching to biodegradable products Where possible, cleaning products, polishes and varnishes used by the Housekeeping and Maintenance departments have been replaced by eco friendly options, another example of Royal Resorts helping protect the environment. Biodegradable garbage bags are used and the trash bins in public areas are made from recycled plastic. By switching to colored towels, the Laundry has also been able to reduce the use of bleach. Resort guests are invited to join the campaign to protect the planet and save water by not requesting a change of towels and beach towels on a daily basis. By reusing villa towels, guests helped save 186,252 liters of water in 2016.

The washing up liquid and dishwasher soaps in the villas are biodegradable, as are the bathroom amenities. Made from honey, they are produced in a Mayan community in the Yucatan as part of a sustainable development project. The coconut candies left in the villas as welcome gifts for Royal Resorts members are made by adults and children with Down Syndrome.

Rather than being thrown away, partially used bars of soap are collected and donated to Tierra de Animales, a Cancun animal welfare group. They are used to bath the stray dogs and cats at the home. The same goes for old towels, sheets and mats that no longer meet the quality standards of the resorts but are still usable. Some are donated to the Old Folks Home and Hospice in the Ciudad de la Alegría, local churches and women’s shelters. Others are given to Fauna Digna, a Cancun NGO that nurses injured wild animals and birds back to health before releasing them into the wild.

Royal Resorts restaurants and bars take up the green cause Royal Resorts helping protect the environment encompasses the restaurants and bars, where staff have taken up the green cause. Polystyrene cups and take-out containers have been replaced in the resort pool and beach bars by reusable melamine plates and biodegradable glasses and bags. At The Royal Sands alone, this means 500 fewer polystyrene plates a day. The next stage is to eliminate all plastic cutlery in the pool and beach bars.

Another example of Royal Resorts helping protect the environment is its campaign to reduce the consumption of drinking straws, which when discarded on the beach, are both unsightly and a hazard to marine and bird life. Accordingly, straws are no longer put in drinks on the rocks unless the customer expressly asks for one. Straw consumption has been reduced by 40 percent but there’s still a long way to go.

Cloth napkins have replaced paper napkins in all the restaurants for breakfast, lunch and dinner, thus saving paper and reducing the amount of trash generated. Bottled beers have been replaced by canned beers in all the bars and the aluminum is subsequently recycled.

In the resort kitchens, new eco friendly products are used for disinfection and cleaning instead of chlorine. Used cooking oil is collected and sold to a local company to be utilized in making bio fuel. All the proceeds from this sale go to the Royal Resorts Foundation. And to eliminate the grease that accumulates in deposits in the kitchen sinks and floors, Royal Resorts works with a biotechnology company to dispose of it safely and in an environmentally friendly way.

Food & Beverages employees attend regular training courses on sustainability and environmental protection. At The Royal Sands alone there are 200 staff in the restaurants, bars and kitchens, just imagine, that is 200 people spreading the green message to their families and communities, it’s a small village.

Royal Resorts helping protect the environment by using energy-efficient technology When it comes to choosing technology for the resorts, the Corporate Engineering department always looks for the products with the best proven energy saving performances available in the market. Examples are the high efficiency boilers for the swimming pools and centrifuges for the air-conditioning system that are also heat exchangers pre-heating water from 20˚C to 35˚C, and saving energy by reducing consumption of diesel, LP gas or electricity.

Solar panels installed on the roof at The Royal Sands in Cancun heat 50 percent of the water used in the resort’s rooms and suites.

By using energy saving bulbs in villa and walkway lighting at all the properties, Royal Resorts now consumes 59 percent less KWH than it would if it still used standard bulbs. The LCD flat screen energy saving TVs in the villas also use 40 percent less electricity than older models. The latest models of dishwashers and refrigerators are energy efficient appliances.

Water-saving faucets and devices have been fitted in villa bathrooms to reduce water consumption. Elsewhere in the resorts, ozone purification technology was installed to keep water in the swimming pools clean, reducing chlorine consumption by 40 percent.

Green shopping at Royal Resorts Biodegradable bags are used in The Royal Market resort stores and shoppers are asked if they need a bag. Eco friendly cloth bags are also available for purchase. In addition, shoppers at The Royal Market can pick up a variety of regionally sourced organic coffees from Chiapas, Oaxaca and Veracruz, honey, sauces and traditional candies made by communities in the Yucatan.

Going online to save paper Resort magazines and villa stationery are printed on recycled paper and over the years, Royal Resorts helping protect the environment has taken steps to switch many of its transactions online to reduce the use of paper and printing costs.

Keeping our beaches clean Royal Resorts employees take their turns in keeping the beautiful white sands of Cancun and the Riviera Maya pristine as part of an ongoing Beach Cleaning campaign at the resort. An example of this is the 40-strong Food & Beverages Beach brigade at The Royal Sands that meets every Wednesday to collect cigarette butts, plastic and polystyrene, bottles and cans left on the beach, seaweed and other waste that washes up.

Royal Resorts is also participating in the White Flag Beach Cleaning Initiative with City Hall Zofemat beach coordinators and other hotels along the stretch of shoreline between Playa Marlin and Playa Ballenas. This program includes beach cleaning, maintenance, turtle conservation and sustainability measures.

Royal Gardens From planting native species of trees at the Royal Haciendas and Grand Residences to composting organic kitchen waste and the use of eco friendly garden products wherever possible, Royal Resorts garden staff are going back to the land.

There are herb gardens outside the restaurants at The Royal Caribbean and The Royal Sands and a larger Botanical Garden at The Royal Cancun. All the chives and basil used in the resort kitchens comes from the gardens, in addition to rosemary, coriander, mint, chilies, chaya and lemon grass. Apart from providing fresh produce for the restaurants, the flowering herbs also attract bees and butterflies.

In 2015, Royal Resorts participated in a palm planting program on Cancun’s beaches. Coconut palms were planted on the open ocean side of the island to anchor the sand and help reduce coastal erosion in the long term.

Royal Resorts and Grand Residences are participating in a Riviera Maya reforestation initiative spearheaded by Experiencias Xcaret to restore the highway between Cancun and Xcaret. Native species of tree such as cedar, ceiba, ciricote and akits are being planted in the central division and over time will beautify the area and provide food and shelter for a variety of birds.

Royal Resorts is a Cancun turtle conservation pioneer Since 1985, Royal Resorts has been protecting the sea turtles that emerge from the sea during the summer to lay their eggs on the beaches of Cancun. It was among the first resort groups to sign up when municipal authorities subsequently launched a conservation campaign and now participates in the annual statewide turtle program coordinated by SEMARNAT, the Mexican Department of the Environment. Record keeping began in 1998 and to date Royal Resorts has protected 6,932 nests and released 629,826 baby turtles. Tens of thousands more will be released this year.

Spreading the green message At Royal Resorts helping protect the environment also means spreading the green message. The environmental education program has the goal of turning staff into conservation crusaders in the workplace, at home and in their community. A Sustainability Team drawn from departments across Royal Resorts gives workshops and seminars on conservation, sustainability and corporate and social responsibility and departments regularly meet to discuss additional eco-friendly policies that they can implement in their area to do their bit to protect the planet.

Employees now say that they separate their trash for recycling at home and spread the message in the community, encouraging their families and neighbors to do the same. They are more conscious of the need to save energy and water and some have gone even further, making compost and cultivating vegetables and fruit trees, installing solar panels or stoves and participating in urban park and reforestation projects. One bartender at The Royal Sands has even become involved in beekeeping in his home village and now has 60 beehives. Another is reforesting 40 hectares of land in his home village with native trees such as cedar, breadnut, guayacan, maculis or pink poui, ciricote and balche.

Protecting the Mayan Jungle for the future Royal Resorts helping protect the environment also means supporting local conservation causes. Royal Resorts has been a long-term supporter of Cancun conservation group Amigos de Sian Ka’an. In partnership with Amigos, the Royal Resorts Foundation is helping to fund initiatives to protect the Mayan Jungle, the rare species that inhabit it and the fragile network of underground rivers that flows deep in the limestone beneath our feet.

Through an environmental services payment program coordinated by Amigos de Sian Ka’an, 22 landowners in Ejido Juarez and four in the area of El Eden reserve in northern Quintana Roo are receiving grants in return for preserving the forest on their land for posterity instead of clearing it for agriculture, cattle ranching or urban development. To date, 400 hectares of forest have been saved using this system. Not only is the forest protected for wildlife, it represents the capture and storage of 30 percent of the carbon dioxide emissions generated by water production, water treatment plants and pumping in the Benito Juarez municipal district where Cancun is located.

Participating landowners recognize that it is crucial to protect the jungle and their enthusiasm has spread to eight other ejidos where landowners are also interested in joining the program.

El Eden reserve is of vital ecological importance in the area. Straddling a natural fault line, it is a zone of jungle and marshland peppered with cenotes, underground rivers and lagoons where water is plentiful year-round, attracting wildlife. It is home to forest and wetland birds, whitetail deer, peccary, spider monkey, jaguar, puma, ocelot and anteater, among others.

Despite being endangered as a result of deforestation, uncontrolled growth, ranching and poaching, jaguars and pumas still inhabit the territory. El Eden Reserve has been identified as a breeding area for jaguars and it is thought that females seek it out as a refuge to give birth. Using camera traps attached to trees along jungle trails, biologists are studying the big cats’ movements through the forest and those of the animals they prey upon such as deer, peccary, agouti and ocellated turkey.

The goal is to expand the environmental services program in the north and center of the state, linking larger areas of forest to the Sian Ka’an biosphere reserve and creating natural wildlife corridors for threatened species like the jaguar. Quintana Roo has the largest population of jaguars in Mexico, estimated at around 800 of the estimated 4,000 that still roam the country. Protecting this emblem species, once held sacred by the Maya and the Aztecs, is a priority for Mexico’s environmental ministry and conservationists and the project to create a natural corridor in northern Quintana Roo was given an extra boost recently at the COP 13 biodiversity summit in Cancun in December.

The cenotes and underground rivers of the Yucatan Peninsula are breathtakingly beautiful and a hidden treasure for biologists, archaeologists and cave divers. The only source of fresh water in the area, they are also fragile and under threat from urban development and pollution. Amigos de Sian Ka’an is mapping the network of underground rivers, studying threats to the aquifer and cenotes and working with government authorities, universities and the private sector to develop a water management policy to protect them.

Royal Resorts are certified as green resorts Royal Resorts helping protect the environment also includes participation in the Mesoamerican Reef Tourism Initiative or MARTI. Founded by Amigos de Sian Ka’an, Conservation International and the Coral Reef Alliance, MARTI seeks to protect the world’s second longest coral reef through the implementation of better environmental practices to reduce pollution and minimize the impact of tourism on area ecosystems. Over 100 resorts and other companies in Cancún, Riviera Maya and Cozumel have signed up to this initiative and are working for change. MARTI has already certified all of the Royal Resorts properties as being resorts with eco-friendly policies. In 2013, The Royal Haciendas, The Royal Sands and The Royal Cancun also received the Distintivo S from the Mexican Tourism Board, a distinction awarded to resorts for their work towards sustainability.

Related post

Margaret and David H. from New Brunswick, Canada have been Royal Resorts members for 27 years. David says, “We must have been down to Mexico 50 times, the equivalent of three years of our lives! We love it so much. The first time we visited The Royal Cancun we were hooked; before the week ended […]

Royal Resorts is offering a unique, limited edition opportunity to commemorate 40 years of excellence in Quintana Roo. This memento will help you to remember the fun, relaxation and enjoyment of your experiences in Cancun and Riviera Maya. A beautiful aerial photo of your favorite resort with the Royal Resorts 40 Years logo is captured […]

The month of May heralds the start of the turtle nesting season in Cancun and the Mexican Caribbean. During the summer, thousands of sea turtles will emerge from the waves every night to dig nests in the sand and lay their eggs. Royal Resorts is ready to welcome these maritime visitors and protect their precious offspring.

Like biologists, marines, hotel workers and conservation volunteers all along the Quintana Roo shoreline, Royal Resorts security guards will patrol the beaches at night for the next five months on the look out for telltale turtle tracks in the sand. They strain their eyes at the mere hint of a domed shell in the surf as these marine reptiles heave their vast bulks on to dry land in search of a nesting site.

From May to late September, female green, loggerhead and hawksbill turtles, and the occasional leatherback turtle, struggle ashore during the long, hot summer nights to lay their eggs on the beaches of Cancun, the Riviera Maya, Isla Mujeres, Contoy, Holbox, Cozumel, Sian Ka’an and the Costa Maya in southern Quintana Roo. Forty-five to 60 days later, their eggs will hatch and the baby turtles will break free of their shell prisons and race across the beach towards the waves and a new life at sea. In 12 to 15 years time, some of them will return to lay their own eggs on the same beach, repeating the cycle.

Royal Resorts is a Cancun pioneer when it comes to turtle conservation Royal Resorts is proud to do its part to protect this ancient, and sadly, endangered species. A Cancun conservation pioneer, it has been watching over sea turtles since 1985. Official record keeping began in 1998 at three of its resorts for turtle nesting season in Cancun and 19 years later, the tally of protected nests at Royal Resorts stands at 6,932 and 629,826 baby turtles released!

In the 2016 turtle nesting season in Cancun, there were 246 nests with 25,435 baby turtles at The Royal Sands, The Royal Caribbean and The Royal Islander; a further 2,968 turtles hatched at Grand Residences Riviera Cancun to the south of Puerto Morelos and 82 at The Royal Haciendas in the Riviera Maya.

Sea turtle nesting is cyclical and good years with lots of turtles coming ashore to lay their eggs are always followed by slow years. Last year was a slow year, after a record-breaking season in 2015. We hope that 2017 will be a good year for the sea turtles.

Constant summertime vigil In the weeks leading up to turtle nesting season in Cancun, Royal Resorts security guards attend courses on sea turtle habits and the procedures they must follow given by biologists working for the statewide conservation campaign. They are now ready to begin their annual summer vigil.

Night after night, they will patrol the beaches in search of nesting turtles. When they find one, they watch over her as she laboriously digs her nest and lays her eggs. They carefully collect the eggs and move them to a nursery where they dig another nest that is identical in shape and depth to the original. The species, date and time of nesting and number of eggs are recorded and another long wait begins until the eggs begin to hatch.

As the estimated hatching date approaches, the Royal Resorts turtle guardians begin to monitor the nest closely until they see the first tiny turtles emerging exhausted from the sand. They are moved to a container to regain their strength before being released after dark when predatory seabirds such as gulls and frigate birds have gone to roost.

Do you know the sea turtle season rules? If you are going to stay at Royal Resorts or Grand Residences this summer, please join us in protecting our turtle visitors. Follow the rules for sea turtle nesting season in Cancun and the Riviera Maya:

• Alert the security staff when you see a turtle on the beach at night • Be very quiet and keep still, noise, lights and the movement of people disturb nesting sea turtles and cause them to leave the beach without laying eggs • Watch from a distance of ten (33 feet) meters • Do not attempt to touch the turtle or crowd her • Do not shine a torch or use the light on your mobile phone • Please, no flash photography • No smoking • Follow the instructions given by security staff at all times • Help us to keep our beaches and sea clean. Discarded plastic bags, drinking straws, beer packaging, fishing lines and other garbage floating in the water are lethal to turtles and other marine life • When snorkeling or diving, watch turtles from a distance, do not swim towards them and do not attempt to touch them • Wear a t-shirt when snorkeling as protection from the sun instead of applying sun block. Sun products pollute the water and are harmful to marine life • Turtles are protected by Mexican law and it is illegal to disturb them, persecute or hunt them and consume their meat, eggs or purchase other products such as tortoiseshell jewelry and cosmetics made with turtle oil.

SEMARNAT, the Mexican environmental agency, enforced new rules for the 2016 turtle nesting season to keep human contact with the fragile baby turtles to a minimum. The rules stipulate that hatchlings can only be released by trained security personnel and not by hotel guests. Failure to comply with these measures can lead to resorts losing the right to have turtle nurseries on site or to be part of the turtle protection campaign.

First turtles of 2017 arrive in Cancun,Cozumel and the Riviera Maya Earlier than usual, Cancun, Cozumel and Xel-Ha in the Riviera Maya have already reported the first turtle nests of the season. It won’t be long before Puerto Morelos, Xcacel-Xcacelito, Akumal, Isla Mujeres and other nesting beaches see their first arrivals, and there will be many more in the months to come.

A loggerhead turtle was the first to come ashore on Cozumel’s windward coast, Xel-Há has also reported its first nesting loggerhead turtle while turtle nesting season in Cancun began with a much rarer visitor, a huge leatherback turtle (Dermochelys coriacea), which was sighted at Hotel Emporio, next to The Royal Caribbean. Seldom seen in the Mexican Caribbean, the leatherback is known as tortuga laud in Spanish. Measuring up to seven feet long it is the largest species in the world. The name leatherback refers to its shell, which is rubbery and ridged, unlike the harder bony carapace of the green, loggerhead and hawksbill turtle.

Two years ago, another leatherback turtle came ashore in the same spot, but since neither of them was tagged there is no way if knowing if it was the same one or two nesting females. Turtles will return to the same beach where they were born to lay their eggs.

The leatherback turtle is a great ocean wanderer, swimming the longest distances between feeding and nesting areas, sometimes over 7,000 miles. It also dives deeper than any other turtle, to depths of more than 4,000 feet and can stay immersed for over an hour. Leatherbacks feed on jellyfish and many die as a result of swallowing plastic bags and other refuse they mistake for their prey. This is one more powerful reason to reduce the use of plastics that end up as ocean refuse.

Stay posted during the summer for more sea turtle news from Royal Resorts For more news on the 2017 turtle nesting season in Cancun and the Riviera Maya check the summer editions of the Royal Reporter e-newsletter and this Royal Resorts blog.

Related post

Margaret and David H. from New Brunswick, Canada have been Royal Resorts members for 27 years. David says, “We must have been down to Mexico 50 times, the equivalent of three years of our lives! We love it so much. The first time we visited The Royal Cancun we were hooked; before the week ended […]

Royal Resorts is offering a unique, limited edition opportunity to commemorate 40 years of excellence in Quintana Roo. This memento will help you to remember the fun, relaxation and enjoyment of your experiences in Cancun and Riviera Maya. A beautiful aerial photo of your favorite resort with the Royal Resorts 40 Years logo is captured […]

Royal Resorts Signature Club members have a brand new platform to use for all their travel and leisure needs. Unveiled on March 27, Privileges for Royal Resorts offers them the chance to book hotels, guided vacations, cruises and flights with exclusive discounts and great savings.

How does it work?

Every year, Royal Resorts Signature Club members will receive up to US$4,500* in Savings Credits, equivalent to their annual Club Service Fee, that can be applied as partial payment for Hotels, Resorts, Cruises, Guided Vacations, Merchandise, and much more purchased on Privileges by Royal Resorts.

Royal Resorts Signature Club Members will earn additional Savings Credits when using Privileges for Royal Resorts to book flights, car rentals and other services.

Save hundreds of dollars a year with Privileges for Royal Resorts

With their Savings Credits, Royal Resorts Signature Club members will book hotels, cruises, package vacations, purchasing wine and more without the markup other retailers place on travel services or goods.

*The amount of Savings Credits received each year depends on the number of weeks a member has registered in their RRSC membership and/or by the number of Points owned by the member. For more information, please contact: rrsc@royalresorts.com Savings Credits are awarded each year once the Club Service Fee and the Signature Club fee of the membership is paid Savings Credits are exclusively for use on the Privileges for Royal Resorts platform and cannot be converted to Royal Resorts Rewards. The Privileges for Royal Resorts program may be subject to cancellations or modifications at any given time. U.S. toll free 1-888-882-9343 | www.rrsignatureclub.com | Mexico toll free 001-855-211-4056

Other Royal Resorts Signature Club benefits

Signature Flexibility

Platinum Signature Club members can deposit their fixed unit/fixed week in the Signature Flexibility program in exchange for Signature Points any year that they choose to do so and plan their vacation time. It gives them the freedom to choose several shorter escapes or travel at a different time of year, staying for longer, in a bigger unit, or at one of the other Royal Resorts.

Global travel with Signature Exchange

Through Signature Exchange members can trade their unit through the RCI international exchange network to stay at 4,500+ affiliated resorts in more than 100 countries. There’s a special dedicated reservations call center and online services to assist Royal Resorts members.

Use Points for Travel Services with Signature Marketplace

Welcome to the Signature Marketplace portal where as Royal Resorts Signature Club members you can use points from your deposited units as currency and purchase travel services including hotels, flights, tour packages, cruises, car rentals and treats for your next Royal Resorts vacation!

Karma Exchange

Through an alliance with the luxury hotel group Karma, Royal Resorts Signature Club members can use their Signature Club Points to enjoy incredible stays at properties in Bali, Thailand, India and Germany.

President’s Circle

Owners at Grand Residences by Royal Resorts®, the luxury resort hideaway to the south of Puerto Morelos that is affiliated with The Leading Hotels of the World®, have their own Royal Resorts Signature Club membership level called the President’s Circle. The President’s Circle offers a world of benefits, international luxury resort stays and exclusive travel services.

Find out how you can enjoy Royal Resorts Signature Club benefits

For more information on Points offerings at The Royal Cancun, The Royal Sands and The Royal Haciendas and Signature Club benefits, call ext. 172 to arrange a meeting during your next visit.

Related post

Leave the grey days of winter behind you and renew body and soul this spring at the Royal Resorts Spa in The Royal Sands and The Royal Haciendas. With all its fragrance and health benefits, the aromatherapy massage is perfect for the season and will leave you feeling refreshed and rejuvenated. It will ease tired […]

When you vacation in Cancun or the Riviera Maya, you really are on the threshold of a world of unforgettable travel adventures. On one hand, you have spectacular white sand beaches, the turquoise waters of the Caribbean, offshore islands and the wonders of the Mesoamerican Reef and on the other you have the ancient cities […]

Grand Residences has made the Trip Advisor Traveler’s Choice Top 25 Hotels in Mexico 2017 list for the third year running, coming in at No. 2. In the category of Top 25 Hotels in Mexico for Best Service 2017, the award-winning Puerto Morelos resort is at No. 3.

We are pleased to share with you that two other Royal Resorts were also included in the Trip Advisor Travelers’ Choice lists for Mexico. The Royal Cancun and our Riviera Maya resort The Royal Haciendas feature in the Trip Advisor Travelers’ Choice Top 25 Hotels in Mexico for Families 2017 occupying spots No. 4 and No. 12 respectively.

Both resorts have sheltered beaches and gentle surf, extensive tropical gardens for treasure hunts, children’s pools and playgrounds, and kids clubs offering a range of fun activities. Parents and grandparents love the amenities, low-rise architecture, sense of community and the welcoming ambiance too. Home away from home, they really are family favorites, perfect for an unforgettable vacation in paradise for all ages.

Tell the World about Royal Resorts

If you have just returned from Royal Resorts, why not share your experience on Trip Advisor. Tell the world what you love about your resort, the meals and activities you and your family you enjoyed or about a member of staff who made your day.

You can also use the GuudJob app to post reviews of the employees that look after you during your stay. Download the app from the Apple App Store or Google Play. Log on and search for the Royal Resorts logo and the person’s profile. Alternatively, visit www.guudjob.com to write your review.

Related post

The 2nd Royal Resorts Foundation Race took place on February 19 in Cancun with the participation of 493 competitors of all ages, 84 volunteers and local sponsors. Thanks to the efforts of all involved, a total of $214,000 pesos was raised, almost triple the amount raised in 2016, in support of this year’s cause: rebuilding […]

We are sure that you would like to join us in congratulating another member of the Royal Resorts family who has passed an important milestone in her career. Ivohnne Peniche, Office Manager in the Corporate Office in Merida is celebrating 40 years with Royal Resorts. She has seen the company grow over the years from […]

Meet Mirna Pech our dynamic Executive Housekeeper who is celebrating 38 years with Royal Resorts in Cancun.

Originally from the small town of Sotutá in the state of Yucatán, Mirna began her career at The Royal Cancun in the early days of the resort when it was known as VCI. Only 15 when she started her first job as a maid assigned to the villas in building 5, she learned quickly on the watch of Doña Pilar Quintal, the first Royal Resorts Housekeeper.

The years passed and Mirna worked her way up the corporate ladder as a Maid Supervisor, Assistant Housekeeper, The Royal Caribbean Housekeeper and finally Executive Housekeeper for the Cancun resorts in 2002. She now manages a team of 447 employees in the Housekeeping and Laundry departments. She is supported by a management team that includes her assistant, the Housekeepers at The Royal Sands, The Royal Cancun and The Royal Caribbean-The Royal Islander and the Laundry Manager.

Mirna loves her job and says, “I have been with Royal Resorts for more than half my life, but it doesn’t seem like that. How time flies when you enjoy your work! Royal Resorts is a great company and I am proud to work here. In the early days of Royal Resorts, the Developers instilled a spirit of community and friendship at The Royal Cancun that still endures today. We have a philosophy of excellence and attention to detail, which we reinforce with teamwork, constant training and a belief in the value of every employee. I think that our work environment is unique and that we transmit its warmth and friendliness in the hospitality that we offer.” She adds, “Our members that return year after year are our beloved friends and part of our family and I thank them for their trust and preference.”

On the subject of professional growth, Mirna is grateful for the opportunities that she has had at Royal Resorts and says: “I learn something new every day that I can implement to improve the services we offer. In recent years, I have been involved in the company’s green program. We are looking for ways to protect the planet and conserve natural resources and the steps we have taken to date in the Housekeeping and Laundry department include changing many of our procedures and substituting many of the cleaning products we use for environmentally friendly alternatives.”

Mirna ‘s enthusiasm and commitment has spread throughout her department. She really is a distinguished member of the Royal Resorts family.

We are sure that you will join us in congratulating her for her years of service.

Welcoming you home year after year

Mirna is not alone in her long years of service. Many other Royal Resorts employees have been with the company for more than 10, 15, 20, 25 and even 30 years. Some are the waiters that greet you with a smile, ask after your children and bring you your favorite cocktail; others are gardeners, bellboys, maids, security or Front desk staff. Others work behind the scenes in Maintenance or accounting and some even work in the Merida office. Wherever they are, they are part of the Royal Resorts Family and dedicated to making each vacation even better than the last.

Every three months employees who are passing an important milestone in their careers at Royal Resorts are invited to a special breakfast with department heads and Management representatives. This breakfast is one of the events organized during the year by the Human Development department.

Related post

Opened in 2000, The Royal Sands, the largest resort in the Royal Resorts Collection, is celebrating its 17th anniversary this season. A glorious beach setting at the heart of the Cancún Hotel Zone, 340 spacious ocean-view villas and an array of services ranging from a full-service spa and gym to a marina, activity center and […]

Traveling to Royal Resorts in Cancún or Playa del Carmen for Valentine’s Day? Surprise the one you love with an unforgettable meal at your favorite Royal Resorts restaurant. You have a variety of tempting options to choose from, a glorious sunset and fresh seafood at Captain’s Cove; superb Continental cuisine and live guitar music at […]

The Royal Resorts Foundation is always looking for ways to help those in need, bring change to communities and to protect the planet. Its causes include study scholarships for children living in poverty, cancer screening and medical treatment, funding physiotherapy for children with physical and neurological challenges, emergency relief for employees, help for the aged, and conservation of the Mayan jungle and the area’s underground rivers.

By the end of 2016, the Royal Resorts Foundation had raised nearly USD$300,000 for its community and conservation causes through the Dollar a Stay campaign at the resorts, additional donations by members and employees, fundraising events organized by staff, the sale of recyclable trash and more. Here’s a look at the Royal Resorts Foundation’s causes.

Keep on Running for a Good Cause, Second Royal Resorts Foundation Race, February 19, 2017

We are gearing up for the Second Royal Resorts Foundation Race on February 19, 2017 and we invite you to join us in supporting another worthy cause. This time, the Royal Resorts Foundation has partnered with Pro Niños Excepcionales A.C., a Cancun NGO that supports children with physical, neurological and mental challenges. We will be helping a man who has devoted his life to caring for sick children but now needs a helping hand himself, Maclovio Tun

At 74 years old, Maclovio is the sole breadwinner for his family, wife Carmen who is paralyzed and their son Reyes who has severe cerebral palsy. Their derelict house has a leaking roof, no door and no sanitation facilities and is unfit for them to live in. Our goal is to renovate and extend it, adding a bathroom, bedroom, ramps and other aids for easy access, making it a safe, healthy and comfortable space for them.

Sign up for the Second Royal Resorts Foundation Race and help renovate Maclovio’s home. Take part in the 10, five or three-kilometer race or a three-kilometer walk, there’s a Fun Run for children too.

Invite your friends and family to take part too! The closing date for registration is February 11.

Race details

The race takes place on February 19 at 7 a.m. Starting point: Captain’s Cove Restaurant to Westin Regina and back again.

Race Fee is $250 pesos per adult and $150 pesos per child and includes a souvenir t-shirt and finalist’s medal, race number, chip, water and an isotonic drink at the finish line

3, 5 or 10 kilometers

Age categories for men and women

Free (15-39 years) Master (40-49 years) Veteran (50 and over)

Prizes will be given to the first three places in each category in the 5 and 10 km races for men and women. The first three Royal Resorts employees to cross the finish in the 5 and 10-kilometer races for men and women will also receive prizes.

Children’s Fun Run

Bring the kids! There is a race for them too!

Children aged 4 to 7 years 500 meters

Children aged 8 to 12 years 1 kilometer

If you are not going to be in Cancun in February you can still support the cause by making a donation to the Royal Resorts Foundation online at www.royalresortsfoundation.org or during your stay at Royal Resorts.

Building a Home for Dani

In February 2016, our First Royal Resorts Foundation Race, organized in partnership with Erase Una Vez un Hogar A.C. (Once Upon a Time a Home), helped raise money to build a home for Dani, a little boy from the village of Leona Vicario with brittle bone syndrome. Dani and his family are now settled comfortably in their new house, which is equipped with foam floors, ramps and other aids to meet his needs.

Therapy for Physically Challenged Children at the Cancun CRIT Clinic

In November 2016, Royal Resorts Foundation made a donation to the CRIT Rehabilitation Center in Cancun (Centro de Rehabilitacion e Inclusion Infantil Teleton) to cover the costs of physiotherapy for six children with motor, bone and neuromuscular diseases.

The CRIT Center is run by a Mexican charity called Fundacion Teleton, which has 23 CRIT Centers all over the country and a Children’s Cancer Hospital, and attends 294,172 children.

CRIT Centers provide diagnosis, physiotherapy, multisensory stimulation, occupational therapy and care for children with mobility challenges, cerebral palsy, autism, cancer and other illnesses. Dedicated teams of medical staff and volunteers help children from low-income households, providing access to treatment that will improve their quality of life. Counseling, health and hygiene seminars are also available for the parents of special needs children and for those with terminally ill children.

As a result of the therapy they receive at the CRIT, some children become stronger and more independent, taking their first steps, learning to swim, dress themselves and move around more. Others begin to express themselves through art or practice their language skills.

Helping Women get Vital Cancer Screening

The Foundation’s partner for this cause is Grupo Desafio de Quintana Roo, A.C. Founded in 1999 by a group of women who have fought their own battle with the disease, the Cancun-based NGO started life as a support network for breast cancer patients. Its mission is now to help all those living with the disease, regardless of sex, age or type of cancer.

In addition to helping women from the poorest sectors of society with cancer screening and treatments, Grupo Desafio seeks to raise cancer awareness by giving seminars on the disease and the importance of early detection in local communities. It also offers self-help and counseling sessions for patients and their families.

Employee Emergency Relief Fund

The Royal Resorts Foundation gives emergency aid to staff coping with grave illnesses such as cancer, major surgery or accidents in the family and to care for the terminally ill. In 2016, it helped seven employees with health problems, including treatment for scoliosis, eye surgery, bladder surgery in a case of spina bifida, epilepsy medication, speech therapy for a child with Down’s syndrome, hearing aids and assistance with funeral expenses.

Building a future for children in need

The Royal Resorts Foundation awards scholarships to a class of children attending primary school in Colegio Mano Amiga in the Ciudad de la Alegria community center on the outskirts of Cancun.

Colegio Mano Amiga students come from poor families, often from single parent households, migrant families or vulnerable backgrounds overshadowed by domestic violence, addiction, crime or other problems that would make it impossible for the child to continue his/her studies if it were not for this support.

At Colegio Mano Amiga primary and secondary school, children study and play in a safe, happy environment. They have access to nutritious meals and medical treatment and an education that will give them hope and a better chance in life.

Saving the Mayan Jungle

In partnership with Amigos de Sian Ka’an, the Foundation is helping to fund initiatives to protect the Mayan Jungle and its precious wildlife and the fragile network of underground rivers that flows deep in the limestone beneath our feet.

Through the environmental services payment program coordinated by Amigos de Sian Ka’an, 22 landowners in Ejido Juarez and four in El Eden reserve in northern Quintana Roo are receiving grants in return for preserving the forest on their land for posterity instead of clearing it for agriculture or cattle ranching. To date, 400 hectares of forest have been saved using this system. Not only is the forest protected for the rare animals and birds that inhabit it, it represents the capture and storage of 30 percent of the carbon dioxide emissions generated by water production, water treatment plants and pumping in the Benito Juarez municipal district where Cancun is located.

Participating landowners recognize that it is crucial to protect the jungle and their enthusiasm has spread to eight other ejidos where landowners are also interested in joining the program.

El Eden reserve is of vital ecological importance in the area. Straddling a natural fault line, it is a zone of jungle and marshland peppered with cenotes, underground rivers and lagoons where water is plentiful year-round, attracting wildlife. It is home to forest and wetland birds, whitetail deer, peccary, spider monkey, jaguar, puma, ocelot and anteater, among others.

Endangered as a result of deforestation, uncontrolled growth, ranching and poaching, rare jaguars and pumas still inhabit the territory. El Eden Reserve has been identified as a breeding area for jaguars and it is thought that females seek it out as a refuge to give birth. Using camera traps attached to trees along jungle trails, biologists are studying the big cats’ movements and those of the animals they prey upon such as deer, peccary, agouti and ocellated turkey.

The goal is to expand the environmental services program in the north and center of the state, linking larger areas of forest to the Sian Ka’an biosphere reserve and creating natural wildlife corridors for threatened species like the jaguar. Quintana Roo has the largest population of jaguars in Mexico, estimated at around 800 of the 4,000 that still roam the country. Protecting this emblem species, once held sacred by the Maya and the Aztecs, is a priority for Mexico’s environmental ministry and conservationists.

The project to create a natural corridor in northern Quintana Roo was given an extra boost recently at the COP 13 biodiversity summit in Cancun in December.

The cenotes and underground rivers of the Yucatan Peninsula are breathtakingly beautiful and a hidden treasure for biologists, archaeologists and cave divers. The only source of fresh water in the area, they are also fragile and under threat from urban development and pollution. Amigos de Sian Ka’an is mapping the network of underground rivers, studying threats to the aquifer and cenotes and working with government authorities, universities and the private sector to develop a water management policy to protect them.

Gifts of Toys for Children in Need

In what has become a Christmas tradition at Royal Resorts, employees, members and guests collected toys to give a Kings Day surprise to children at La Escuelita de Sonia, a home school helping underprivileged children in Alfredo V Bonfil community on the outskirts of Cancun on January 6, 2017.

January 6, Dia de Los Reyes Magos is the day that Mexican children traditionally receive gifts and the Spreading Happiness Party at Sonia’s School was a fun morning for all with toys, games, piñatas filled with candies, cake and other goodies.

In 2016, toys were distributed at a school in the village of Leona Vicario.

The Royal Resorts Foundation accepts donations of educational material, new toys and used clothing (children and adults) in good condition all year round.

Get-togethers with Cancun’s Old Folk

On December 23, Royal Resorts Foundation volunteers helped at a Christmas lunch for 150 elderly parishioners at the Lourdes Church in Downtown Cancun. These monthly get-togethers during the year are a chance for pensioners living on their own to meet friends.

Get Involved

If you have a particular skill or would like to volunteer your time during your vacation to help those in need, give back to the community or do something to protect the planet the Royal Resorts Foundation would love to hear from you, write to: contact@royalresortsfoundation.org

For more information about the Foundation causes, fundraising events and special Spreading Happiness events organized during the year visit www.royalresortsfoundation.org Online donations are also accepted through the website.

We’ll be posting more updates, photos and videos of events on our Facebook page.

Related post

This year, we celebrate the 40th anniversary of the founding of our first resort The Royal Cancun (1977 – 2017). Over the years, it has become a beloved home away from home for several generations of Royal Resorts members and it still looks as beautiful now as it did four decades ago. Founded in 1975, […]

Located on a pristine beach to the south of Puerto Morelos, our luxury private residence club Grand Residences by Royal Resorts also celebrated its third anniversary in December. It welcomes 2017 with 18 more residences and a sophisticated new look for Flor de Canela, its Mexican restaurant.